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10 Manitou | Tri-Cities MEC | U/C
#76
(04-07-2017, 01:11 AM)tomh009 Wrote:
(04-06-2017, 12:50 PM)DHLawrence Wrote: They'll probably use tables and tablets/cell phones, like the Apple Store does.

TD?  For a teller function?  I suspect not.  Need smart card readers and receipt printers.  Need a place for cash.  Need more secure communication than wifi.  Need to make sure information on the screen is not visible to a customer that might happen to be standing somewhere behind the desk.  

Tablets can work in some use cases but not all of them.

Hate to nitpick, but enterprise grade wifi is completely secure so long as the person deploying it knows what they are doing.
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#77
There is no such thing as COMPLETELY secure. Smile Wifi will always be more hackable than a wired connection. In any case, there are many other reasons why tablets are not the right solution for bank tellers.
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#78
Wired isn't secure if you have access to the wires, and of course nothing is safe from a strategically placed usb key.

And enterprise grade wifi can be totally secure. (again if the team setting it up knows what they're doing)
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#79
Okay, I have to apologize as I must not have had a proper look the first time.

There is indeed a teller counter at this TD, though it's of a design that's rather different than usual and has only three (generously wide) stations.

The rest of my summary was correct, upon second viewing.

---------

Elsewhere on the property: just south of the bank, another building is getting its foundation started. Looks relatively small.
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#80
(04-06-2017, 06:48 AM)timc Wrote: No teller counters? How does that work?

That fits in nicely with the staffing plans all banks in North America have to eliminate tellers (now tellers are just a budget cost line) and have you replace them, with YOU doing the banks job at home on your computer. 

Canada's Banks Rethink Bricks, Mortar and Beyond.

Cash as a physical commodity will be a distant memory as will your friendly teller.  

Lining up at the bank is not what they want and as a result they will discourage you from using their bank facility except as a revenue generating site for the bank.
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#81
Apparently this is now open! Unfortunately I missed getting to it this weekend, hopefully I can do so soon.
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#82
MEC had a very soft (unannounced opening). They just decided they were far enough along in store inventory set up and they could turn the key because enough stock was in place, staff trained and everyday not open is a day without revenue.

They are going to have a hard official opening in early late May or June.
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#83
Went into the new TD branch. It's a nice building inside.

When I was younger (well before becoming an architect myself) I signed up with TD just because Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed their global headquarters in Toronto, and have used them since hah.
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#84
(05-07-2017, 09:00 PM)MacBerry Wrote: MEC had a very soft (unannounced opening). They just decided they were far enough along in store inventory set up and they could turn the key because enough stock was in place, staff trained and everyday not open is a day without revenue.

They are going to have a hard official opening in early late May or June.

I heard May 27. They soft opened on Sunday. They do have quite a bit of inventory, although the systems aren't all hooked up yet.

I had heard a rumour that they were only going to sell clothing, but they have a full range of technical gear.

It is farther than I'd hoped from where the LRT station is going to be. But it looks like there is something that could be an unofficial trail behind Fairway Ave. It's even got a dotted line on Google Maps. Anyone know anything about it and whether it could be an official trail?

The location also seems accessible via Courtland or smaller side roads from the North, according to Google. Will have to try that out.
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#85
There is currently a semi-official LRT crossing, but it's over unprotected rails and sleepers and then down an embankment. This will be closing once trains arrive for testing, and we still don't have a timeline on the City's plan for an official one.

Your best bet is indeed to approach from Courtland; or if you're on the bus, route 12 stops right in front.
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#86
(05-09-2017, 03:17 PM)plam Wrote: It is farther than I'd hoped from where the LRT station is going to be.

The closer station will actually be Block Line. A 700m walk, if I recall correctly.  It's still unfortunately far from both.

Quote:But it looks like there is something that could be an unofficial trail behind Fairway Ave. It's even got a dotted line on Google Maps. Anyone know anything about it and whether it could be an official trail?

There's been a (gravel) trail in the Hydro corridor for years.

During ION construction, it's been in various states of closed.  You'll discover that the Fairway end is currently full of construction debris, and has a big "Closed" sign" up. But the rest of the trail is fine.  Eventually they'll clean up the ends, but it will remain gravel.

This is the part of town here I raised a stink about a lack of pedestrian crossings of the tracks:



The plan was that the only access to this trail was from Courtland on the west, and Wilson on the east, and a couple of access points to the north, but nothing south to Fairway.  The City of Kitchener is now working on choosing a location to put in an official mid-block crossing.
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#87
(05-09-2017, 04:22 PM)Markster Wrote:
(05-09-2017, 03:17 PM)plam Wrote: It is farther than I'd hoped from where the LRT station is going to be.

The closer station will actually be Block Line. A 700m walk, if I recall correctly.  It's still unfortunately far from both.

Might be 900m. But these are both not inviting streetscapes, I bet. I know that Fairway isn't. 900m could be fine if it was actually walkable.

(05-09-2017, 04:22 PM)Markster Wrote: There's been a (gravel) trail in the Hydro corridor for years.

During ION construction, it's been in various states of closed.  You'll discover that the Fairway end is currently full of construction debris, and has a big "Closed" sign" up. But the rest of the trail is fine.  Eventually they'll clean up the ends, but it will remain gravel.

This is the part of town here I raised a stink about a lack of pedestrian crossings of the tracks:



The plan was that the only access to this trail was from Courtland on the west, and Wilson on the east, and a couple of access points to the north, but nothing south to Fairway.  The City of Kitchener is now working on choosing a location to put in an official mid-block crossing.

Right. A mid-block crossing would help. I guess that more landscaping would be nice as well.
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#88
(05-10-2017, 04:30 PM)plam Wrote:
(05-09-2017, 04:22 PM)Markster Wrote: The closer station will actually be Block Line. A 700m walk, if I recall correctly.  It's still unfortunately far from both.

Might be 900m. But these are both not inviting streetscapes, I bet. I know that Fairway isn't. 900m could be fine if it was actually walkable.

It's not inviting to go to a stroll, sure.  But better now, with the cars the width of the LRT track away.

It sure isn't equivalent to medieval torture to walk that distance if you have a desired destination at the end of it.
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#89
So the store is currently in 'soft open' mode. Apparently they will 'hard open' this Saturday (May 13) and have a grand opening 2 weeks after that (May 27).
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#90
Soft open ... so we did a soft visit.  A lovely nine-minute drive from DTK, along Courtland. Smile  Probably could bike, too, though Courtland isn't exactly bike-friendly.  LRT soon enough, though.

MEC was a pleasant surprise.  Lots of non-clothing things, but clothing selection is only about half of the main Toronto store, at a guess.  Still, it's a very nice store, when we had nothing at all before.  We spent some money tonight and we'll certainly be back.  (The walk from the Block Line stop isn't quite as tidy as I expected but I'll have no issue with doing it.)

   

Now, if only I had somewhere to store one of those kayaks ...
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